It doesn’t matter if it’s an organized game or just a pick-up game; Lanouette is going to be on the field…and contributing.

Lanouette, the former Hopewell Valley High star, has taken his passion for the game and turned it into a great career at Rutgers-Camden.

A tenacious defender, Lanouette was named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season. He was also named to the All-NJAC First Team for the second straight year.

Advertisement

Lanouette is just the second player in the NJAC to earn the award in two straight seasons. The other was Richard Stockton’s Mike McAlarnen back in 2001 and 2002.

“I really wasn’t expecting it this year,” Lanouette said. “This was really a collective effort and it could not be possible without my teammates. Soccer is a team game.”

Lanouette has helped the Scarlet Raptors to a national ranking, an appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight and a conference championship in 2011.

A staunch defender, Lanouette is a part of the Rutgers-Camden defense that has allowed a measly 0.85 goals per game.

“I believe to be a good defensive player you have to be relentless,” Lanouette said. “You can never give up on a play. No matter what it looks like is going to happen. You always have to finish the play.”

Rutgers-Camden (14-2-2) faces Rutgers-Newark Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. in the conference semifinals with its sights set on a second straight league title.

“I just want to go out and leave everything on the field,” Lanouette said. “As seniors we have just a few games left together to reach our goals.’’

When he left Hopewell Valley, it wasn’t a willing trip south on I-295 to the Rutgers-Camden campus, but the school, his teammates and the community quickly changed his thinking.

“I didn’t want to come down here,” Lanouette said. “But I’ve realized it was the best decision I’ve ever made. The friends I’ve made, the team is close knit and how the community is involved has been great.”

A captain this season, Lanouette has played in 66 games, starting 48. He has scored seven goals and added two assists. The amazing thing about the seven goals is that four of them were game-winning goals.

Another winning goal will be coming up soon as Lanouette graduates with a degree in finance this semester.

“It’s all coming to an end too soon,” Lanouette said. “It means I’m going to have to go into the real world and get a job.”

Once the “real world” realizes Lanouette brings that same passion to his career that he brought to the soccer field he’ll be putting up impressive numbers in the finance field as well.